Vacuum cleaner



pt.3, 1940. v D. M. DOW ETA}. 2,213,792

VACUUM CLEANER Filed March 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Shut 1 3, 1940. p ow 5 AL 2,213,792

VACUUM CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 3,.1940

UNITED STATES VACUUM CLEANER Dewey M. Dow, Frederick H. Burmeister,

and

' Christian It. Heckler, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Air-Way Electric Appliance Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application March 8, 1935, Serial No. 9,934

4 Claims.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and has for its object generally to provide a cleaner having a floor tool adapted to travel on forward and rear Wheelsv over a floor covering with its suction chamber at a fixed height thereabove irrespective of the position of the handle of the cleaner, in combination with a hollow suction handle and suction producing means, together forming a rigid unit which is pivotally connected to the floor tool.

Particularly, the invention aims to provide a practical and successfully operative combination of the foregoing features in a vacuum cleaner wherein the suction chamber, overhanging the forward floor tool supporting wheels and spaced above the floor covering, carries an auxiliary motor for driving a rotary agitator therein, said auxiliary motor being independent 'of the fan motor and mounted directly on top of the nozzle. To this end, the invention contemplates an arrangement wherein the weight of the auxiliary motor which, being preferably located forwardly oi the axis of the forward wheels,'would otherwise. tend to tip the nozzle forward, is balanced by the weight of the handle and suction unit, applied to the floor tool intermediate the forward and rear wheels thereof.

Another object is to provide a vacuum cleaner including a floortool adapted to travel over a floor covering so as to follow any irregularities in the surface thereof and a handle, suction unit and bag assembly pivotally connected to the floor tool in such a manner as to not interfere with the following of the floor surface contour and yet capable of also travelling on the floor so as to relieve the, operator of supporting its weight, whereby the operator need only exert a horizontal pushing action in order to move the cleaner about over a floor with the nozzle constantly following the contour thereof and maintaining the correct position above the floor covering.

Another object is to provide such a cleaner in which a hollow duct connection is so constructed as to offer minimum resistance to the flow of air and foreign material carried in the air stream so connection on an axis parallel or substantially;

parallel to that of the handle so as to allow the handle to be rotated around substantially its own axis relative to the floor tool. More specifically, the present invention contemplates the provision of a vacuum cleaner in which a minimum height floor tool is adapted to be moved under a piece, of furniture and in which the handle and suction producing unit are adapted to be rotated to an intermediate position from which they may be lowered to a substantially horizontal position which they are incapable of assuming unless first rotated to the intermediate position.

. 10 The invention aims to embody the: foregoing features of multiple pivotal movement an an arrangement in which the handle is capable of im- I parting steering movement to the floor tool, i. e.,

the connection between the handle unit and floor tool is rigid .as far as any substantial movement of the handle laterally relative to the fioortool is concerned.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for preventing the handle and suction producing unit from being lowered beyond a predetermined upwardly and rearwardly inclined position except when rotated to the aforementioned intermediate position.

Another object of the invention is-to provide in combination with a motor for driving the suctiorrfan an auxiliary motor onthe floor tool for driving a rotary agitator, an improved arrangement of a conductor extending from the first motor to the auxiliary motor for supplying the latter with current.

Another object is to provide a floor tool and pivotal suction conduit construction; of such character as to make it possible to construct the same of die castings.

f Another object of the invention is to provide a device for preventing dirt, dust, lint, 'etc., from following the agitator drive belt from the suction Other objects of the invention will appear in 5 the following detailed description of the invention,'illustrated inthe accompanying drawings,

in which:

, Fig. l is a side elevation of a vacuum cleaner embodying our invention. I

Fig, 2 is a plan view of the same.

. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the floor tool casting.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig.5 is an inverted plan View of the pivotal suction conduit casting. I

dis a rear elevation of the cleaner with a handle and suction unit standing in'a vertical sectional view taken on the by the line Ill-l of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a detail perspective sectional view of one of the beaterelements of a. rotary agitator. Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken similar to Fig. 8 of a modification thereof. r

Fig. 13 shows another modification. Referring now to Figs. 1-11 inclusive, the form of invention shown therein comprises. a floor tool A and a handle and suction unit assembly B. -'The floor tool has a suction chamber Ill, a rotary agitator ll mounted therein, an auxiliary electric motor l2 for driving the agitator II, forward and rear supporting rollers I3 and I4 respectively upon which the suction chamber l0 travels at any of several fixed elevations relative to the carpet depending upon the position of adjustment ofthe wheels I3, controlled by adjusting mechanism l5, and suction duct mechanism "5-41 to which the suction neck I8 of t e handle suction unit assembly is pivotally'co nected.

The handle suction unit assembly B comprises a primary motor I9 securedto a fan case which is in turn secured to a valve housing 2| formed integrally with the suction neck l8. 0p-

posite the suction neck I8 is a corresponding suction neck 22 to which attached the hollow suction handle 23 aligned with the suction neck l8. l r

A dust collecting bag 24 is hung below the handle 23 and spaced therefrom. The discharge outlet 25 of the'fancase 20 is connected by a coupling 26 to-the neck of .the bag 24.

A switch assembly 2] is secured to the handle 23 near its upper end, and a motor cord 28 extends from the switch assembly to the motor I!) in a sheath 29 of stamped sheet metal or the like secured to the lower side of the handle 23. Formed on the lower end of the sheath 29 are the ears 30 by means of which it is secured to the handle and also the ears 3| which have openings 32 to receive the ends of rods 33 stiffening the upper edges of the. bag 24 and forming between them an openable'mouth. The

upper. ends of the rods 33 are secured by retractible latch elements 34 mounted in the switch assembly. The sheath 29 lies in the space casting C in a downwardly and fowardly inclined direction, opening at its lower forward end into the suction chamber l0 and at its upper rear end through the top wall of the truck portion 35 of the casting C, the latter having a central rearwardly extending leg to which the.

rear wheels l4 are secured. I

The casting D comprises a central lower por tion 36 completely covering the top opening of,

i the throat l6 and secured to the wall 35 by screws 37, and the upwardly projecting spaced elbows l'll'|a respectively, to whichis pivoted tical hinging of the handle and the T-union forming a connection between the elbows Il-l'la and the suction neck la.

The connection 40 has flanges 4| which are rotatably seated in flanges .42 on the elbows l'I-l'|a.

The elbow Ila is detachably secured as at 38 to the bottom portion' 36 of the casting D so as to allow assembly of the T-union 40.

. To the central arm '39 of the T-union 40 the suction neck I8 is attached by means of a short steel tube nipple '43 having a flange 44 held in swivelling engagement with the end of the arm 39 by a retaining nut 45 threaded to the arm 38.

Electrical connection between the motor 19 and the auxiliary motor [2 is efiected by means male connection 41 plugged into a socket 48 in the wall of the motor I9, the socket 48 in turn being electrically connected to the motor cord 28, preferably the terminals thereof where they attach to the motor brushes. .The flexible conduit 46 is provided, intermediate its ends with a strain relief washer 49 which is secured in a stamped sheet metal box 50 secured at 5| to the wall 35. The box 50 is in'the shape of an inverted channel, and the cord 43 extends through the same and thence through the space 52 between the base portion 33013 the casting of a flexible conduit 46 0ne end of which has a D and the T-union 40. It is thence attached to 46 to become caught against objects during cleaning operations, and makes it possible to employ a minimum amount of slack in the conduit wall allowing the rotative movements which will hereinafter be described. This is true because the point'of attachment of the conduit to the floor tool is quite close to both the axis of verthe axis of rotation of the handle.

be raised or lowered while the floor tool A. re-

mains in the same position relative to the floor. If desired, the entire weight of the entire cleaner may be supported on thefloor so that the opirregularities in the surface of the floor so as to at all times maintain its proper adjustment and the suction unit 'and handle assembly will also follow thelcontour of the floor, any irregularities being compensated for by a slight pivotal movement around the horizontal axis of the elbows I|-I'|a.

It may also be noted that under certain preferred conditions of design, the weight of the auxiliary motor l2, centered forwardly of the wheels l3, would, if the floor tool were disconnected from the suction producing unit, or if the pivotal attachment of the latter were over the wheels'l3 .or as far forward as the axis of the agitator drive motor (which is common in conventional type cleaners where the agitator is driven by the fan motor) tend to tip the nozzle forwardly and .downwardly around-the wheels l3. The present invention'however obviates this difficulty by locating the axis of pivotal attachment of the handle unit rearwardly of the wheels- -i 3, i. e., intermediate the axis of the wheels l3 and 14, so that the weight of the handleassembly, or the forward portion thereof if the 1 40 It will now be noted that the handle 23 may wheels 55 are being allowed to ride against the floor, will be sumcient to maintain the floor tool in proper balance. In this connection, it may be stated that the weight of the suction producing unit, which is located entirely forwardly 'of the wheels 55 is greater than the weight of the dust collecting bag 24 even when filled with refuse, so that there is at all times a balance of weight forwardly of the wheels 55 producing some downward pressure on the pivotal connection.

The invention, however, provides that when the cleaner is picked up bodily, the fioor tool A, of which the forward portion is much'heavier than the rear, will not flop downwardly substantially' beyond its normal horizontal position. This is important since the operator will often wish to lift the floor tool over slight projections such as door treads, etc., and when again placing the fioor tool in contact with the floor it is desirable that it maintain a horizontal position. This is assured by the employment of a stop 56 formed on the duct casting D and a finger 51 pivoted to a bracket 58 on the T-union 40. When the handle suction unit assembly is in position where the wheels 55 engage the floor, the finger 51 will likewise engage the stop 55 and limit the rearward movement of the floor tool around the axis of the elbows I'I-l'la. The weight of the forward region of the floor tool will maintain the stop 56 in engagement with the finger 51 so as to assure the floor tool remaining in horizontal position as long as the handle is held in the correct position.

It is desirable however that the arrangement be such that the handle 23 may upon occasion be lowered to a substantially horizontal position without tipping up the floor tool. For example,

in going under low furniture, it is desirable to lower the handle assembly. The invention provides for this by allowing the handle and suction u-nit assembly to be rotated around the axis of the handle so as to bring the motor l9 and wheels 55 around to one side of the handle, a position in which they do not interfere with lowering of the handle. When the handle has thus been rotated, the finger 51, which has previously been held in operative position by means of a cam 60 and down movement of the handle relative to on the suction neck I8, is now moved to an inoperative position by a spring secured to the bracket 58. When thus in inoperative position, the end of the finger 5] simply slides beneath the stop 55 and allows the T-connection to rotate on below the limit at which it has hitherto been stopped.

In the modified form of the floor tool shown in Fig. 12, the castings C and D are combined in a single integral casting and the lower wall of the duct I5 is formed by a stamped 'sheet metal plate IBa secured as at It!) to the casting.

It may now be noted that we have provided a double pivotal connection such as to allow up oordingly, the normal function of steering the floor tool by the handle is as fully present as it is in any conventional cleaner in spiteof the several pivotal movements of which it is capable. It will be understood that in the accompanying claims, the word flexible referring to'the conduit connecting the throat l5 and the fan case inlet l8, refers to either the inherent wall flexibility of the tube 12, or to the pivoting flexibility of the pivoted sections l1 and 40 of the form shown in Fig. 10.

The rotary agitator comprises a hub I5 extending from end to end of the nozzle and jour-' nalled therein at its ends. In the preferred form shown in Figs. l-12, the mounting may be similar to that disclosed in United States Patent 2,102,- 221, issued December 21, 1937. The belt drive I6, belt housing H and construction of the auxiliary motor l2 in the preferred form are also sub-.

stantially as shown in that patent. Brush elements I8 and resiliently mounted agitators 19 are mounted in the hub and arranged preferably in a manner similar to that shown in said patent.

We have provided an improvement over the specific construction of the beater element covered by the aforesaid patent, wherein the carpet contacting channel 80, instead of being bonded to the rubber strip mounting 8|, is clinched into clamping engagement with the side faces of the somewhat narrowed waist region of said rubber strip. The channel 80 is provided with a series of openings 82 into which the rubber is extrud-' ed-under the squeezing pressure of the channel.

v These extruded lugs 83 serve to give additional retention to prevent the channel from becoming disengaged from the rubber strip and serve as the primary means for preventing the channel slipping endwise from the channel strip.

In order to prevent lint, dust, etc., being thrown and carried up into the belt housing II, we provide a guard housing 84 of sheet metal, the upper end of which is inserted in the belt opening in the top wall of the suction chamber In and the lower end of which embraces the uppervhalf of the cross section of the hub 15, its side walls being semi-circularly cut away as at 85 for this purpose. An ear 86 formed by bending the upper region of one of the side walls laterally, is

vsecured to the lower side ofthe .top wall of the suction chamber l0 and serves to hold the guard housing in place.

We find that the use of this open ended housing, encircling the two reaches of the belt, entirely eliminates the serious difliculty of clogging of thebelt housing which was previously experienced.

In the form shown in Fig. 13, the rollers I3 are positioned at the ends of the suction chamber l0, which is not of the overhanging type, The pivot -ll connecting the fork 10 to the floor tool, is located on an axis intermediate the axes of the wheels l3 and M, intermediate the ends of the flexible tube air conduit 12, and intersecting the latter. It is attached to ears llll formed on' the floor tool. The fork 10 is connected, through the swivel joint 45, to the neck It.

The belt guard 84 is just wide enough between its side walls to just clear the belt pulley I05.

A valve I06 operates in the valve housing 2| supporting surface, a rotary agitator therein, a motor carried on the floor tool and operatively connected to said agitator for driving the same, and a throat extending rearwardly from'the suction chamber, a handle assembly including a handle and suction producing unit, rigidly attached together, a connecting member having a swivelled connection withthe suction inlet neck of said suctionproducing unit, substantially aligned with the axis of said handle, and having a pivotal connection with the floor tool on a horizontal axis parallel to the axes of said wheels and thereby connecting saidneck to said floor tool for transferring propelling movement from one to the other, a flexible air conduit connection the upper extremity of which. comprises said swivel connection and the lower extremity of which communicates with said throat, and means, rendered inoperative when said handle is rotated around the axis of said swivel, for normally limiting the possible downward swinging movement of the forward region of the floor tool when the cleaner is lifted by means of the handle.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a floor tool including a suction chamber, a rotary agitator therein and an auxiliary motor mounted on the floor tool and operatively connected to the agitator, a handle assembly including a handle and a suctionproducing unit, rigidly attached together, said unit being attached to the floor tool, and including a primary motor for driving the fan thereof, an auxiliary conductor connected at one end to said primary motor and at its other end to said auxiliary motor, a pivotal air conduit connectionbetween said suction producing unit and the floor tool, including a T-union having a horizontal portion spaced above a portion of the floor tool behind said auxiliary motor, said auxiiiary conductor passing through the space between said m T-union and the floor tool, and an anchoring member attached to the floor tool on the opposite side of said T-union from the auxiliary motor, said auxiliary conductor being anchored in said anchoring device.

3. In a suction cleaner, a floor too] including a 6 suction chamber beginning with a carpet engaging mouth and terminating in a discharge throat, a handle assembly including a handle and connecting said suction producing unit to said floor tool for transferring propelling movement from one to the other, and means, rendered inoperative when said handle isrotated around the axis of said swivel, for normally limiting the possible downward swinging movement of the forward region of the floor tool when the cleaner is lifted by means of the handle.

4. In a suction cleaner, a floor tool, a discharg throat for said floor tool, a handle carrying a filter and suction unit assembly, means connecting said discharge throat and said assembly including a swivel connection, said swivel connection enabling a swinging of the handle in a vertical plane, means supportedon said swivel connection adapted to enable said handle to rotate on its own axis and a locking means pivotally connected to said swivel connection and adapted in one position thereof to limit the swinging movement of the handle and in another position of the locking means it is adapted'to prevent a rotation of said handle.

DEWEY M. DOW.

FREDERICK H. BURMEISTER.

CHRISTIAN R. HECKLER. 

